Georgia MOAA LTC Joseph Barto Jr. Award Recipients 


2023     There Were No Awards Determined

2022      Awarded at Separate Presentations  (photo below)

Mr. Sam Wiley, COL Paul Wingo, Immediate Past President GMOAA, Col. Dan Holtz, Secretary and Past President GMOAA, Governor Brian Kemp, Mrs. Marty Kemp, Senator Kay Kirkpatrick, Commissioner Trish Ross, Georgia Department of Veterans Service and CAPT Fred Boyles, Treasurer GMOAA.   

      Georgia House:      State Representative Jesse Petrea  (not pictured)

      Georgia Senate:     State Senator Kay Kirkpatrick, MD   (3rd from right)

      Executive Branch:  Governor Brian P. Kemp  (center)
 

2021     Columbus  Ft Benning Chapter

      Georgia House:     No Award

      Georgia Senate:    No Award

      Executive Branch:  MAJ Russell Feagin USA (Ret), Director of Health and                                                        Memorials Division, GA Dept of Veterans Service

 2020    VIRTUAL    COVID-19

2019    Atlanta    Atlanta Chapter

    Georgia House:         No  Award

    Georgia Senate:        No  Award

    Executive Branch: Commissioner Mike Roby

2018    Carrollton    McIntosh Trail Chapter

    Georgia House:      State Representative Bubber Epps

    Georgia Senate:     State Senator Mike Dugan

    Executive Branch:  The Adjutant General, MG Joseph Jarrard

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JOSEPH CHARLES BARTO, JR. Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army (Retired) was born on March 12, 1923 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania the only son of Joseph Charles Barto and Anna Dorothy Barto and died on Monday Oct. 20th at the age of 91.

Husband, Father, Friend, Soldier, Businessman, and Volunteer-a life of service to his family and our nation. On June 20, 1942 he enlisted in the United States Army and after Basic Training, was assigned to the 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion, landed on Utah Beach in Normandy with the 4th Armored Division, on July 11th, 1944 and entered combat on July 17, 1944. After 230 days of continuous combat operations, he had fought in all five major European campaigns. After Victory in Europe (VE) day he returned to Bethlehem and began work at the Bethlehem Steel Company as a Lathe Operator. On September 11, 1947 he re-enlisted in the Army and over the next three years he was promoted three times to Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, and Sergeant First Class.

On May 22, 1951 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Armor and began a distinguished career including a one year assignment to the Military Advisory Group Cambodia in 1960. In 1966 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was posted to his final assignment as the Post Maintenance Officer, Fort Knox, Kentucky where he retired on August 31, 1968 after more than 26 years of service with eight years overseas. His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Good Conduct Medal with three awards, National Defense Service Medal with two awards, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 5 Battle Stars (Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe), and the World War II Victory Medal. Upon retirement from the Army, he was the Southeast Region Plant Engineer and the Georgia District Plant Engineer for United Parcel Service (UPS).

In 1984 he was recognized as the Plant Engineer of the year by the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Plant Engineers. He retired for a second time from UPS in 1985 at the age of 62 after 17 years with the company. Later that same year he accepted the position as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Army Community Service Office at Fort McPherson, Georgia and began a distinguished third career of volunteer service to his country including the Military Officers Association, Georgia Federal Military Coalition, Knights of Columbus, Elks Lodge#79 Tucker, Georgia, Charleston Bay Homeowners Association, Coalition on Aging, Georgia Men of Epsilon Sigma Alpha and the Epsilon Sigma Alpha Foundation, Advisory Board of the Georgia National Cemetery, and the 4th Armored Division Association. In 1995 he received the Department of the Army "Emma Baird" Volunteer Award at the Pentagon, Washington, DC.

In 2014, the Georgia Military Officer's Association of America established the LTC (Retired) Joseph C. Barto, Jr. Service Award which may be presented annually to members of the State of Georgia Executive and Legislative Branches for their support of Veterans as exemplified by LTC Barto's dedicated service to Georgia's Veterans.

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Criteria

For the Georgia Military Officers Association of America’s

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Barto, Jr. Service Award

• Categories for selection to receive the award
  • Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
  • Member of the Georgia Senate
  • Member of the executive branch of government of the State of Georgia, as either an elected or an appointed official
• A history over a period of four or more years as a member of the Georgia General Assembly of active support for legislation affecting military service members, both active and retired, and/or veterans from Georgia; or
• As a member from the Georgia General Assembly, sponsorship of one or more pieces of legislation affecting military service members, both active and retired, and/or veterans from Georgia.
• As member of the executive branch of government of the State of Georgia, either as an elected or appointed official, active support for legislation, or policies, affecting military service members, both active and retired, and/or veterans from Georgia.
• Advocacy for strong state services to be provided to our state’s currently serving military personnel and veterans to give back to them state benefits that will assist them to meet their needs in measure commensurate with their service to our state and nation.